Good morning! Chase and Jimmy here. 🎄

'Tis the season for Mariah Carey and Christmas movies. And, of course, while watching Home Alone with the family the other night, all I could think about was email. (Shocker, I know.)

Your ESP is the McCallister household, and inside you have all the tools you need: your list, automations, segments, integrations—everything to fend off The Wet Bandits.

But without making the right moves at the right time, it’s a losing battle. In today’s edition, we’re sharing Master Q5: Your Playbook for Year-End eCommerce Wins. Think of them as your Kevin McCallister-worthy tricks, helping you optimize every send and outsmart the competition for some last second dubs.

But first, a few goods!

Early shopping, cautious spending, and smaller purchases—were these trends the reality of BFCM 2024? Omnisend crunched the numbers so you can skip the guesswork:

This year’s holiday sales started early—and paid off. U.S. revenue hit $8.4B (+7.1% YoY) with an AOV of $178.40.

Top insights:

• Automations deliver: Welcome emails converted at 63.66%, proving they’re a must-have.

• Targeted beats broad: Food & drink emails nailed a 14.77% conversion rate with fewer sends.

• Start early: Retail giants launched sales in October, capturing stretched budgets and early shoppers.

Ready to crush 2025? Get their full breakdown and start planning smarter!

🎙️ New Episode Alert! Black Friday Dominance: BFCM Recap + Your Q5 Email and SMS Playbook

From Shopify’s impressive $5 billion sales performance to technical challenges faced by ESPs, innovative discount strategies, and founder-led marketing, hosts Jimmy Kim and Chase Dimond dive into the biggest trends and takeaways from Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024. 

Watch the full episode here now!

And a major thank you to our friends at Omnisend and AppBrew for sponsoring the show! Now, without further adieu, let’s send it—Watch the episode on YouTube or listen in on Spotify or Apple.

💡 Knowledge Drop of The Week

The ability to tap into buyer psychology is the biggest hack to unlock better sales. Fraser Cottrell digs right in with this cheat sheet:

Are all best practices created equal? Just like Santa, you might want to check twice—Obvi CEO, Ron Shah, shares how outside the box thinking has helped Obvi scale beyond $80M:

Master Q5: Your Playbook for Year-End eCommerce Wins

Q5 is the eCommerce industry’s best-kept secret. It’s the golden period after Christmas when shoppers, armed with gift cards and motivated by self-indulgence, are ready to spend. For eCommerce brands, it’s a prime opportunity to drive revenue and clear inventory—but only if you play it right. As I always say: Send more email and SMS… but do it strategically.

Here’s your ultimate Q5 playbook, packed with tips to help you maximize results and close the year on a high note.

1. Segment and Double Down on Prospects

Not all customers are created equal, especially during Q5. While your loyal customers might still engage, prospects are where the real untapped potential lies. They’ve been watching, maybe browsing, but haven’t made a move yet.

• How to Segment: Create a custom segment for prospects who interacted with your site during Q4 but didn’t convert. Consider those who:

  • Abandoned their cart.

  • Clicked through emails without purchasing.

  • Browsed specific product categories.

• Actionable Tip: Send 2-3x more campaigns to these segments than you do to your regular customers. Focus on converting them with exclusive offers, urgency, or new product highlights.

  

2. Clear Out Inventory Strategically

Q5 is the perfect time to focus on products that didn’t move during Q4. Freeing up warehouse space not only saves costs but also sets you up for fresh launches in the new year.

• Bundle Slow Movers: Create bundles or “last-chance” offers for slower-moving inventory. Pair them with popular items to boost appeal.

• Highlight Scarcity: Use language like “limited stock” or “last chance” to drive urgency. Scarcity + discounts = powerful motivation.

  

3. Keep Messaging Clear and Focused

During Q5, shoppers are buying for themselves. They’re impulsive and quick to make decisions when the value is obvious. Your messaging needs to match this mindset.

• Be Upfront: Clearly state the discount, product benefit, and call-to-action (CTA) within the first few lines of your email or SMS.

• Simple Design: Avoid overloading visuals or text. Focus on clarity and ease of navigation.

4. Standout Copy Without Emoji Overload

Yes, emojis grab attention, but overusing them can dilute your message and turn off readers. Instead, focus on creating bold, impactful copy.

• Strong Copy Example: “New Year, New Gear: 30% Off Ends Tomorrow!”

• Use Emojis Sparingly: Try one or two relevant emojis that enhance the message, like a clock emoji (⏳) for urgency or a spark (✨) for excitement.

5. Create Urgency with Expiration Dates

Post-holiday shoppers respond well to urgency, especially when deals are time-limited.

• Add a Countdown Timer: Use email tools to include a real-time countdown timer.

• Explicit Deadlines: Call out the exact expiration date and time in your email subject line and SMS messages.

  

6. Retarget Clickers with High-Intent Campaigns

Your Q5 strategy doesn’t stop after the first email. Retarget those who clicked through but didn’t convert. They’re showing intent—now it’s time to seal the deal.

• How to Retarget:

  • Send personalized follow-ups based on what they clicked.

  • Use dynamic content to highlight related products.

• Example Campaign: If someone clicks on a sale item but doesn’t buy, send them an email like: “Still Thinking About This? Get 20% Off Before Midnight!”

Bonus Tips:

• Leverage Social Proof: Highlight reviews or testimonials in your emails to build trust.

• Optimize Send Times: Test different email and SMS send times for maximum engagement.

• Cross-Channel Consistency: Sync your Q5 offers across email, SMS, and social ads for a seamless customer experience.

This is your time to dominate Q5! Start segmenting your lists and planning campaigns today. Your email and SMS strategy will be the MVP of the post-holiday season!

🔥 DTC Wins of The Week

What kind of milk does Santa ACTUALLY like? Oatly aims to make the “Nice” list this year with their Official Santa Taste Test. 

🗞️ Quick Clips

• Shopify’s gone boring? The eCom tech giant released their Winter ‘25 Edition focused on ensuring the highest-functioning product for their users.

• Winning in The Routine Economy: Drive more meaningful sales by tapping into your buyers’ psychology and understanding their daily routines—Dive in with VP or Marketing at Recharge, Jen Gray.

• Does fast shipping do more harm than good? The science says yes.

• AI 🤝 Customer Support: This one ad format paints personal shopping in a new light and it’s topping the charts—get the low down from Social Savannah on X.

That’s a wrap for this week’s edition! 

Thanks for spending some time with Chase and me! If you enjoyed this newsletter or found it helpful, spread the love—share ecomemailmarketer.com with your favorite DTC marketer. Let’s get them subscribed so they’re in the loop for next week’s updates! 🚀

Remember: Do shit you love.

🤘 Jimmy Kim